I'm setting up an off-grid power system for an island that experiences high salt and humidity. My plan is to place all the equipment in a cabinet inside the living room, with the top left open for heat dissipation. Initially, I considered using Victron products, but I recently came across the EG4 12K, which seems appealing due to its breakers and easy installation. However, I've heard that the EG4 units can be quite loud. If I decide to move them to the basement, they would be exposed to extreme weather conditions since the area isn't climate-controlled. Are Victron Multis quiet enough to keep in my living room? I'm planning to use two parallel sets for a 120/240 split system, so knowing their noise levels is crucial for my setup.
2 Answers
My Victron Multiplus II 3000VA runs quietly too. When it's idle, there's just a faint buzz, but it's hardly noticeable. Plus, the fans are really quiet and usually don’t ramp up much. On the other hand, I've seen those EG4s on YouTube, and they seem to have quite a bit of fan noise, which is unfortunate because they look like solid units.
I've got Victrons too, and I find them pretty quiet! They only get noticeably louder when there's high current usage or when they're charging from a generator. The fans are not much of a bother until they're really pushed, like at about a third capacity. You might also consider balancing them with an autotransformer to help reduce noise. Currently, mine are in the living room, but I'm excited to move them to the utility closet once that’s done!
Are you running Victrons?
Yeah, that's what I picked up too! It's a bummer since they seem really well designed otherwise.